The President’s Home: An Online Guide to the White House

The White House is not only a National monument, but also the workplace and official residence for the President of the United States. The White House is located at the address 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, which is located in Washington D.C. The building was originally constructed between 1792 and 1800 in the neoclassical style, and is comprised of Aquia sandstone which is painted white. Every President of the United States since John Adams has called the White House their home. The White House has grown, changed and experienced a great amount of American history throughout the years.

The White House has a rich history indoors and out, including many renovations and changes through the years to suit the various presidents that lived inside its walls. Perhaps one of the biggest changes to the White House came after the fire in 1814, which was a turning point in not only the building but the entire country. The rebuilding process did not begin again until 1815. The South Portico was completed in 1824 and in 1829 the North Portico was completed. Running water reached the White House in 1833, followed by natural gas lighting in 1848 and electric lighting in 1891. The West Wing was not constructed until 1902, and the Oval Office was unveiled in 1909. The White House features an in-ground swimming pool as Gerald Ford was an avid swimmer, and he actually gave press conferences while swimming in the pool and gave his son scuba diving lessons in that swimming pool. While the White House has experienced many changes through the years, the exterior stone walls built when Thomas Jefferson was president are still the same.

The rich history of the White House is not limited to its construction. Many presidents have called the White House their home, from John Adams who is responsible for the first White House fireworks display to William Henry Harrison who was only president for 32 days before dying from pneumonia. Many children have called the White House their home, including Jimmy Carter’s daughter Amy, Richard Nixon’s children Julie and Tricia and even Abraham Lincoln’s son Thomas Lincoln. The White House has also played home to many pets including Buddy the Chocolate Lab, President Lyndon Johnson’s dogs Yuki, Him and Her and President Franklin Roosevelt’s pet Fala, who is regarded as one of the most beloved “first pets” in the White House to date.

Become well versed on everything that the White House has to offer by following these links. Here you will find information on the monument’s rich history and the unique individuals that have called it home through the years.